OAS praises Brazil’s election, raises concerns about misinformation

The Organization of American States (OAS) commended Brazil's recent election as a peaceful and democratic process. The body lauded the Superior Electoral Court and Regional Electoral Courts for their commendable technical and organizational skills during the voting. OAS personnel have been present in Brazil lately, with 91 independent observers witnessing the local electoral proceedings. This observation forms part of the preliminary report unveiled by the OAS on Tuesday (Oct. 6).

The report applauds the transparency, auditability, and security of the vote counting process. It also highlights the significant increase in biometric data registration to 89 percent since the 2024 elections. Furthermore, the organization praises the expansion of electronic services via the “Autoatendimento” platform and e-Título mobile app.

Despite the praise, the OAS expressed concerns about the election. It noted a "climate of tension and strong political polarization," marked by excessive judicial involvement, personal confrontations, and disinformation campaigns aimed at undermining the legitimacy of the electronic voting system.

The organization also highlighted the absence of an electoral debate between the candidates for the presidency and vice presidency. However, it acknowledged a multitude of debates among the candidates for governor positions. The report also pointed out the "lack of harmonized legal criteria within the Electoral Court" regarding the use of real or AI-generated images of individuals barred from politics in both digital and physical campaign materials.